Display panel and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A display panel includes a first base substrate, a second base substrate facing the first base substrate, an insulating structure including a non-pad portion having an end aligned with a side surface of the second base substrate and a pad portion having an end laterally recessed from the side surface of the second base substrate, a pixel overlapping a display area and disposed between the first and second base substrates, a signal line on the first base substrate and connected to the pixel, and a connection pad including a portion disposed in a connection region defined between the side surface of the second base substrate and the end of the pad portion. The signal line overlaps the pad portion. The connection pad is in contact with the signal line. The insulating structure is disposed between the first and second base substrates and overlaps a non-display area outside the display area.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display panel comprising:
 a first base substrate; 
 a second base substrate facing the first base substrate, the second base substrate comprising a display area and a non-display area disposed outside the display area; 
 an insulating structure comprising:
 a non-pad portion having an end aligned with a side surface of the second base substrate; and 
 a pad portion having an end laterally recessed from the side surface of the second base substrate, the insulating structure being disposed between the first base substrate and the second base substrate and overlapping the non-display area; 
 
 a pixel disposed between the first base substrate and the second base substrate and overlapping the display area; 
 a signal line disposed on the first base substrate and connected to the pixel, the signal line overlapping the pad portion; and 
 a connection pad comprising a portion disposed in a connection region defined between the side surface of the second base substrate and the end of the pad portion, the connection pad being in contact with the signal line, 
 wherein: 
 a portion of a top surface of the signal line is exposed from the insulating structure; and 
 the connection pad is in direct contact with the exposed portion of the top surface of the signal line. 
 
     
     
       2. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 an end of the signal line is exposed from the insulating structure, the exposed end of the signal line is substantially aligned with a side surface of the first base substrate; and 
 the connection pad is in contact with the exposed end of the signal line. 
 
     
     
       3. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating structure comprises a plurality of organic layers. 
     
     
       4. The display panel of  claim 3 , wherein the pixel comprises:
 a first electrode; 
 a second electrode insulated from the first electrode; 
 a thin film transistor electrically connected to the first electrode and the signal line; and 
 a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. 
 
     
     
       5. The display panel of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a color filter disposed between the first base substrate and the first electrode. 
 
     
     
       6. The display panel of  claim 5 , wherein a first organic layer that is closest to the signal line among the plurality of organic layers comprises a same material as the color filter. 
     
     
       7. The display panel of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the insulating structure comprises a plurality of pad portions and a plurality of non-pad portions, the pad portion being one among the plurality of pad portions and the non-pad portion being one among the plurality of non-pad portions; and 
 the pad portions and the non-pad portions are alternately arranged when viewed in a plan view. 
 
     
     
       8. The display panel of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a spacer overlapping the thin film transistor and maintaining a gap in which the liquid crystal layer is disposed, 
 wherein a second organic layer, which is disposed on the first organic layer, among the plurality of organic layers comprises a same material as the spacer. 
 
     
     
       9. The display panel of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a black matrix partially overlapping the display area, 
 wherein:
 the display area comprises a transmission area overlapping the first electrode and a peripheral area overlapping the thin film transistor; 
 the black matrix overlaps with the peripheral area, and 
 an organic layer, which is disposed closest to the second base substrate among the plurality of organic layers, comprises a same material as the black matrix. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The display panel of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the insulating structure further comprises a plurality of inorganic layers; 
 the thin film transistor comprises:
 a control electrode; 
 a semiconductor pattern disposed on the control electrode; and 
 an input electrode and an output electrode overlapping the semiconductor pattern and spaced apart from each other; and 
 
 a first inorganic layer, which is disposed closest to the signal line among the plurality of inorganic layers, directly covers the control electrode and the signal line. 
 
     
     
       11. The display panel of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of organic layers exposes a portion of a top surface of the first inorganic layer. 
     
     
       12. The display panel of  claim 11 , wherein the connection pad is in contact with the exposed portion of the top surface of the first inorganic layer. 
     
     
       13. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the end of the non-pad portion has a relatively flat surface as compared with the end of the pad portion; and 
 the end of the pad portion has a groove shape. 
 
     
     
       14. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the signal line is one of a plurality of signal lines; 
 a first signal line and a second signal line among the plurality of signal lines are spaced apart from each other; 
 the connection pad comprises a plurality of connection pads respectively overlapping the first signal line and the second signal line, the plurality of connection pads being spaced apart from each other; and 
 the connection pads expose a remaining portion of a top surface of the first base substrate corresponding to the pad portion except portions of the top surface of the first base substrate corresponding to the pad portion on which the connection pads are disposed. 
 
     
     
       15. A display panel comprising:
 a first base substrate; 
 a second base substrate facing the first base substrate and spaced apart from the first base substrate; 
 a pixel disposed between the first base substrate and the second base substrate; 
 a signal line disposed on the first base substrate and electrically connected to the pixel; 
 an insulating structure disposed between the first base substrate and the second base substrate, the insulating structure comprising a plurality of organic layers and a plurality of inorganic layers; and 
 a connection pad in contact with the signal line and in contact with a portion of a side surface of the insulating structure, the side surface of the insulating structure forms a stepped shape with each of the first and second base substrates. 
 
     
     
       16. The display panel of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the plurality of organic layers and the plurality of inorganic layers comprise:
 a first inorganic layer adjacent to the signal line; 
 a first organic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer; 
 a second inorganic layer disposed on the first organic layer; 
 a second organic layer disposed on the second inorganic layer; and 
 a third organic layer disposed on the second organic layer; and 
 
 ends of the plurality of organic layers and the plurality of inorganic layers form at least one stepped portion. 
 
     
     
       17. The display panel of  claim 16 , wherein the end of the first inorganic layer is closer to a side surface of the first base substrate than the end of the first organic layer. 
     
     
       18. The display panel of  claim 16 , wherein:
 at least a portion of the second inorganic layer is exposed by the first organic layer and the second organic layer; and 
 the at least the portion of the second inorganic layer exposed by the first and second organic layers covers the end of the first organic layer. 
 
     
     
       19. The display panel of  claim 16 , wherein the first organic layer has one of a red color, a green color, and a blue color. 
     
     
       20. The display panel of  claim 16 , wherein the third organic layer has a black color. 
     
     
       21. The display panel of  claim 15 , wherein an end of the signal line is not aligned with a side surface of the first base substrate and is laterally recessed from the side surface of the first base substrate. 
     
     
       22. The display panel of  claim 21 , wherein an insulating material is disposed in a space defined on a top surface of the first base substrate between the side surface of the first base substrate and the end of the signal line. 
     
     
       23. The display panel of  claim 15 , wherein:
 a portion of a top surface of the signal line is exposed by the insulating structure; and 
 the connection pad is in contact with the exposed portion of the top surface of the signal line. 
 
     
     
       24. The display panel of  claim 15 , wherein:
 a portion of a top surface of the signal line is exposed by the insulating structure; 
 a portion of a rear surface of the signal line is spaced apart from a top surface of the first base substrate; and 
 the connection pad is in contact with the exposed portion of the top surface of the signal line and the spaced portion of the rear surface of the signal line.